My Hero
by S.K.C.B.Y.J
Summary: Cloud goes out on the town for a seemingly friendly drink with his fellow cadets...only to be betrayed and have to be rescued. Sephiroth x Cloud. YAOI MAN ON MAN Rated M for later chapters


_Disclaimer__; I do not own Final Fantasy, nor any of its characters, (much as I would love to). This and my other stories, are merely fictions of my imagination, and are not things that have actually happened or will happen in the games or films._

_Warning__; this fic contains yaoi (male x male) content. If you do not like it, do not read it. Please don't leave bad reviews just because you don't like yaoi. You have been warned!_

_Author's Note__; please comment on my story - I like to get feedback, positive and negative, so that I can improve stories I may write in the future and increase your reading enjoyment._

_Thank you._

A group of cadets were walking unsteadily along the street back to their dorms. A blonde was pinned in the middle of them, his golden spikes sticking straight up in the air despite the heavy rain which battered down on them all. The blonde stopped for a moment, turning his head slightly away from the group, and emptied the contents of his stomach onto the pavement. The vomit landed with a dull, sickening splat on the ground, causing the group to cheer at him, congratulating him on his first alcohol-induced puke.

Despite the wooziness, and now slight queasiness, Cloud was having a good time. The other cadets had decided that the blonde needed alcohol when he had confessed to them that he'd never had any before, and had nearly dragged him to the favourite bar of theirs.

Round after round had been bought, slowly drowning the blonde until he could barely walk any more.

He had been suspicious of the other cadets at first, as they treated him like he wasn't there, or was something to beat on, at other times. But as the night had gone on, the cadets had seemed nice enough, and he had relaxed and begun to enjoy the atmosphere.

Oh, and the drinks.

The young cadet was beginning to feel tired now, the emptying of his bowels having drained some of his energy. His eyes drooped a little and he yawned, something the other cadets didn't miss. He looked up at the faces to either side of them to see them grinning in at him, all of them.

He began to feel uneasy, then slightly worried as their grins turned to sneers. The edges of the group curved round in front to close him in a circle, and part of his brain began to scream at him.

What had he been thinking? That they'd seen the errors of their ways and were going to be nice to him? That his status would suddenly change from loner and punch bag to one of the gang?

He cursed himself for a fool, the anger and fear made him want to puke again, but there was nothing left to come out.

The first fist came out of nowhere, striking him sharply in the stomach. He bent over double, the wind being knocked out of him in an instant.

As he bent, someone kneed him in the face, and the cadets all heard a sickening crack, which they suspected was his nose.

Another cadet stepped forward and pulled the blonde upright sharply by his shoulders. Another stood behind and pulled his arms behind his back, making him unable to defend himself. Yet another cadet moved in front of him, and pulled his fist back as if to punch him full in the face. The blonde closed his eyes and braced for the worse, but nothing came. Still he waited, but no-one hit him. He peeked out from under his eyelids to find the face of the boy in front of him, still staring ahead, frozen in fear. It took the blonde a moment to realise a long, pale, slender had that gripped the boy's pulled-back arm tightly.

The cadet followed the arm at the end of the hand with his eyes, up the shoulder and up to his face.

And also froze.

The grasp of the cadet holding him from behind faltered, but he couldn't move. His eyes were locked on those of the great General Sephiroth.

Some form of muscle memory kicked in and, free from the hindering grasp of the guy behind him, he sprang to attention despite his injuries, and saluted.

A survival instinct in the other cadets also triggered, for they closely followed suit, standing to attention and saluting in almost a synchronised manner.

The blonde could almost have sworn the General's lips twitched up at the corners at the sight, but put it down to nerves.

The General surveyed the group, his cold, mako filled eyes seeming to see into their minds. The cadets began to fidget uncomfortably under the steel gaze.

After what seemed an age, Sephiroth spoke.

"Anyone care to explain exactly what was happening here just now?" He said coolly.

Everyone's gaze was set rigidly on the floor at their feet, even the blonde's.

After a moment, the General spoke again;

"No-one? Then allow me to guess for myself."

Still holding the arm of the cadet that had been about to throw a punch, he lifted him clear off the ground, leaving his feet dangling a few feet off the ground. His face was a mask of terror, but he daren't move or struggle in case he was thrown to one side.

"I'm thinking," He continued, "that you all thought it would be a good idea to gang up on this cadet here." He gestured to the blonde who flinched, his gaze remaining on the floor.

"I recognise all of your faces. I advise you get to your quarters, your immediate superiors will be hearing about this." With that he lowered the cadet he was holding to the floor, and they all half walked, half ran past him to the cadet quarters, leaving the blonde still staring miserably at the floor, at attention but still swaying a little from the alcohol.

As if reality had suddenly been switched back on again, the blonde cadet doubled up in pain and fell forward.

When he didn't hit hard pavement, he opened his eyes to find he had been caught and was now in the General's arms. He was swiftly lifted into his arms, Sephiroth having decided that he was in no condition to walk by himself, and made his way in a slightly different direction to the cadets.

"Let's get you to an infirmary…what is your name cadet?" he asked.

Feeling conscious and embarrassed that he was being carried like a maiden by the most powerful man in SOLDIER, the blonde blushed before replying.

"My name's Cloud, sir. Cloud Strife."

Sephiroth nodded to himself, and they continued on in silence.

"Umm, sir." Cloud mumbled.

"Yes cadet Strife?"

"Could you not take me to the infirmary, or punish those cadets…" he trailed off, not sure how this would be taken.

"Why not?" A puzzled tone had entered the usually monotone voice.

At the question Cloud's face grew darker.

"Because if those guys get in trouble, I'll get hell for it."

Sephiroth's face hardened at the thought of the young blonde being tormented further by those brutes, and thought against sending him to the infirmary after all.

"In that case, I'm taking you to my quarters. I have healing materia there, and you won't have to go back to your rooms and face the other cadets tonight."

The General altered his course slightly, heading towards the SOLDIER's rooms.

Cloud began to blush furiously, and quickly hid his face from the General's view.

His quarters!? Cloud had been in admiration and awe of the General since he had first arrived at SOLDIER, had often gazed at him from a distance admiring the muscles on view, and the ones hidden beneath tight leather. The thought of going to his quarters was almost too much.

"Th-thank you, sir, but that w-won't be necessary," he stammered "I'll be fine in m-my own room."

Sephiroth gazed down at the spiky haired blonde with a raised eyebrow.

"You would face them again, vulnerable as you are right now with your injuries?"

Cloud stayed silent for a while, and then sighed. The alcohol in his system was having a calming effect on his nerves, and he gave in to the temptation being waved in front of his face.

"No, I'd rather not"

"Then it's settled" Said the General, his pace quickening in order to get them out of the cold faster.

No-one was in the corridors as they made their way to the General's apartment, which Cloud was grateful for. He didn't need people whispering about special treatment, it would only give the other cadets more reason to torment him. Cloud sighed at his hopeless social situation, making him flinch as it contracted his sore stomach muscles.

Sephiroth noticed this, and quickened his pace in order to get Cloud to the healing materia sooner as it was obvious he was in pain.

Before he could properly brace himself against his reaction, they arrived at Sephiroth's private quarters. The General put Cloud down for just a moment to open the door before picking him back up to carry him through it. Cloud felt like a newly wed bride being carried over the threshold, and this thought made him blush scarlet. Luckily Sephiroth didn't seem to notice this as he placed him gently on the couch, being extremely careful of his injuries, before disappearing into another room to find the materia he always kept with him. Cloud lay there on the couch, unable to move as nerves gripped him even through the alcoholic haze. What to do? What to do?

Lying down was making his stomach churn, so he sat up slowly, careful not to bunch up and hurt his stomach more. He looked around the room, taking in everything before him. The room was sparsely furnished, nothing but a table to eat at, the couch he now sat on and a bookcase against one wall. There wasn't much furniture even for SOLDIER quarters, and certainly considering the size of the room, obviously granted him because of his status as General. He could see part of a tiled wall through a door in the far corner which he guessed to be the kitchen. To his left was the door out and to his right were three rooms, on in the same wall as the couch was against and two against the same wall as the kitchen. These would undoubtedly be the bedroom, spare bedroom and bathroom. The General had gone through the single door beside the couch, and Cloud wondered which room it was. Most likely the master bedroom, he thought. That sent a thrill down his spine, thinking to himself that he was just metres away from the General and his master bed…

Cloud shook his head to clear the thoughts, but with his lack of balance it rocked his whole body, making him gasp in pain. In moments Sephiroth was there, inches from his face and scanning his eyes as if he could read his body's condition straight from his retinas. Cloud stared back, unable to move, losing himself in the green eyes that balanced just before him.

Why he did what he did next, Cloud was never sure. Maybe he was hypnotised by the emeralds in front of him, or the alcohol haze made him brave beyond his wildest dreams, or maybe he just acted on instinct.

But Cloud just leant in, not losing eye contact with the General, and kissed him full on the mouth. As he sat back, the fire in his ribs rising from the movement, his mind suddenly froze, and went into hyper drive.

Ijustkissedthegeneralijustkissedthegeneraliamsodeadsodeadsoverydeadpleasegroundjustswallowmewhole

Cloud had squeezed his eyes shut the moment he realised what he had done, expecting any moment the full wrath of the General to descend upon him in his disgust, but nothing happened. He sat there, like a small prey waiting for the jugular attack, but nothing came. Not a word, not a sound, not even a movement could he sense from the General. Several minutes passed this way, Cloud riveted to the spot not daring to open his eyes, when he heard a slight rustle of leather. Even in his fear he peeked open one eye to see what doom awaited him, only to see Sephiroth, not looking at him, reaching into his pocket and taking out the healing materia he had retrieved from his room. Still without eye contact Sephiroth began administering the materia, giving an instant cooling effect to the burning of Cloud's injuries. As the last of the pain in his chest subsided, Cloud have a great sigh of relief at being able to breath deeply again, and then stilled, remembering where he was and what he had done. He sat still as a statue as Sephiroth used the last of the materia to heal his face, which Cloud was sure by now must have been sporting a beauty of a black eye. Still, even doing this Sephiroth didn't look directly at him, and kept his face still and composed as he worked. When the materia had done its job, Sephiroth finally looked him in the eyes. Cloud wasn't sure what he saw in them, but he didn't think it was disgust…

"Are you OK now?" he asked, genuine concern seeming to enter his voice.

"Yes sir, I'm fine sir." He said, slipping back into the role of meek cadet. Pretend it didn't happen, he thought. To prove his good health Cloud stood and saluted in time with his reply, and began to make his way to the door.

"Thank-you for the ma--" he began, only to be interrupted by a sharp grip on his arm and being forcibly turned round to face the General again. Oh god I'm dead, he thought, I am well and truly dead.

But before Cloud could even begin his frantic apologies his lips were sealed with the General's in a passionate kiss, the shock of it rendering Cloud utterly still and unable to protest, not that he at all wanted to. As Cloud relaxed into the kiss, and started to respond as well, Sephiroth began to probe with his tongue, running it up and down Cloud's lips seeking entrance. The cadet gave it willingly, his mind reeling with that fact that he was being kissed, being controlled, by the one man he had admired since he had first heard stories about him, let alone seen him. Suddenly Sephiroth pulled back, leaving them both gasping for much needed air. The General gave Cloud one of his trademark smirks, walking off towards the room Cloud had suspected of being the master bedroom.

"Well, Cadet Strife," he said, "you can go back to your dorm now that you are fully recovered." He turned into the room as if dismissing him, but then turned back, "Unless, of course, you are still drowsy from the alcohol, in which case I shall have to look after you until morning…can't have a drunk cadet wandering around at night can we?" With that he walked into the room, leaving the door open quite obviously on purpose. Cloud stood on the spot for a moment, processing what had just happened. He had kissed the Great General Sephiroth and had lived, and not only had he lived but he'd been kissed back. And now if he was not entirely mistaken he had just been given the 'come hither'.

Hmm, wander back through the cold to face the other cadets and their 'questioning' of his lack of injuries, or spend the night with his lifetime idol.

Not a hard decision if you really thought about it.

All of this had taken place in under a second in Cloud's mind, so it took him only a second after Sephiroth had left for his legs to kick in and send him sprinting after the lean, pale man that awaited him in the next room…

What do you think? Sorry about the delays, it seems my plot bunnies have been hibernating over winter. There will be a chapter two, don't worry! You will get to the smut eventually! After all, I can't not give everyone smut after such a long wait, but I had to post this up now before people started badgering me so another wait for the smut I'm afraid! Got to keep everyone interested though, eh?


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